Risks in life, an interesting life

Everyone has their risk threshold – even the most devil-may-care risk taker has his or her own limits. Some people draw it earlier, some later.

I think about risks often enough. A couple of years back, I used to be paid to do it. Now I do it more about of habit. So it’s no wonder I was drawn to this piece than someone who calls himself better than your boyfriend (too bad I call my significant other my husband already). Before we get to the risk part, here’s what BTYB calls an interesting life:

“I know, from experience, that I can’t possibly predict what will happen that day. By the end of the day I may be in another city, I may have met a new best friend, I may have found a new hobby, or I may have completely altered the course of my life.“

By his standards, I have a very interesting life – I never know what is going to happen in my life, no matter how risk averse I try to be. It’s an occupational hazard I have come to accept. But I am not sure unpredictability itself constitutes an interesting life. I think life can be so unpredictable that unpredictability itself can be just a predictable boring matter. Nevertheless, an interesting definition – not every day you come across a reasonable attempt at defining an interesting life.

And I do like this part on taking risks in life. Apparently, they come in three kinds –

Social risks. Social risks have ZERO cost to them. Go talk to someone new. Say what’s on your mind.

Financial risks. It’s pretty well established that the only way to make money is to risk your own money. Put your money where your mouth is. If you have a great idea, DO IT.

Physical risk. I’ve jumped a freight train, climbed a radio tower and several cranes, bought a competition paraglider and yada yada yada…

I can think of one more risk to make your life interesting – the risk of real change. Change yourself. Not a simple change of wardrobe, but more intrinsically. If you were an introvert, try being an extroverted socialite who can’t stop talking. If you were a chatterbox, try shutting up for a week. If you are disorganized, try being super-organized. If you are a peace lover, try getting into a bar brawl. Try it. Just for the heck of it. Just to know you can change anything and everything, whenever you want. And to know what the other side looks like. You can always change back – but do be warned, an elastic once stretched will never really return completely to its old shape. Still a risk worth taking.